Jeremy R. Kelly

Jeremy R. Kelly, 50, of Moorhead, MN, died Tuesday, March 3, 2020, at Sanford Medical Center, Fargo, ND. Jeremy was born in Fargo, ND, on October 19, 1969, to Robert and Marcia (Jones) Kelly, and grew up and attended school in Moorhead.

Growing up, Jeremy loved spending time with his grandparents on their farm in Glyndon.  He had a wonderful sense of humor and loved joking around.

Jeremy had a kind and caring spirit and couldn’t stand to see others being disrespected or taken advantage of.  He was particularly protective of those who he felt were victims of hatred and prejudice.  When he heard that the tiny community of Leith, ND was being threatened by a white supremacist group, Jeremy was instrumental in forming Unity ND which was on the front lines in preventing Leith from being taken over by the neo-Nazi group.

Jeremy was a deeply religious man and had studied the bible in depth.  He could quote the scriptures like nobody else.  He also struggled with drug addiction for many years.  In approximately 2008, the Jail Chaplains organization referred him to Adult & Teen Challenge in Mandan, ND which is a faith based residential recovery program.  He graduated from this 1-year program and was able to turn his life in another direction.  His experiences as an addict and his nurturing spirit motivated him to help others with addiction issues and in 2015, he founded the Fargo/Moorhead Good Neighbor Project.  Jeremy was extremely proud of this program and was a passionate advocate for his clients.  The City of Fargo recognized the success and necessity of his program, and they stepped in to assist and expand the program 3 years later.  Jeremy continued working as a harm reduction specialist through the City of Fargo.  He understood the complexity of addiction and served his clients without judgement and they trusted him for it.  He had great passion for this work and it allowed him to have a positive impact and literally save countless lives in the Fargo-Moorhead area.  We are all safer in this community because of the important work done by Jeremy over the years.

In spite of the success and notability that Jeremy experienced locally over the past several years, he was a humble man that seldom talked about himself but was always interested in learning more about others.  He cared about people.

Jeremy is survived by his parents, Robert (Nancy) Kelly and Marcia (Bruce) Matson; stepbrothers, Travis and Troy Kelly, Jesse and Adam Matson; aunts, Monica (Tom) Millette and Janice Jones; uncles, Roger (Linda) Kelly, Kenny (Paula) Kelly and Dan Lubbesmeyer; and several cousins, relatives and many friends.

He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Richard and Doris Jones, and Jim and Helen Kelly; and aunt, Joyce Lubbesmeyer.

Funeral services have been postponed.